Toy looping wheel



Mayl4, 1935. o. MARTEN 2,001,205

I TOY LOOPING WHEEL Filed Aug. 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS,

May 14, 1935, o. MARTEN TOY LOOPING WHEEL Filed Aug. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllll INVENTOR.

07'7'0 HHKTFY.

BY l ATTORNEYa movealong the ground Patented May 14, 1935 PATENT OFFICE TOY LOOPING WHEEL Otto Marten, Louisville, Ky., assignor of onethird to Emanuel Levi, and one-third to Howard W. Stodghill, both of Louisville, Ky.

Application August 30,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a toy looping wheel. More particularly it relates to a toy of the type having a rotatable ground wheel structure within which there is rotatably mounted an inner wheel structure upon which the operator may ride.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel propelling means for a; device of this character by means of which the operator, seated within the inner wheel, may cause the device to at a rapid speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a braking device by means of which the ground wheel structure and the inner wheel structure ma'y be clamped, together sothat the operator, riding: within the inner structure, may revolve with the ground wheel as the device rolls over the. ground. i Another object .of theinvention is to provide means by which the operatormay guide a device of this. character.

Another object of the invention is to generally simplify and improve the structure of this type dfldevice.

Other objects'and features of the inventionv will be understood. from the following description andclaims and the accompanying drawings: Fig. lis a perspectiveview of one form of the device. Fig.2 is a centralhorizontal section of p the samejfo-rm with the operators seat structure removed to show other parts in detail; Fig. 3 is a side elevational viewofthe propelling apparatus. .Fig. ll is. atop plan view of thesame. Fig; 5isa plan view. of one of the braking devices. Fig; 6 is a fragmentary section of another form of the device equipped;. with guiding means.

i In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2,.there is shown, by way of illustration, a form of the device hav ing a pair of ground wheels i0 preferably provided with rubber tires I l and secured together in a unitary structure by lateral stay-bolts l2. The ground wheels lilhave formed on their inner periphery flanges l3 which define a trackway M. A pair of annular rings l5 are secured together by lateral stay-bolts IS in a unitary structure and constitute the inner wheel structure, Rollers H are mounted on said structure and travel upon the trackway l 4. Thus the inner wheel structure is rotatably mounted upon the ground wheel structureand is free to revolve inside the same or to remain stationary as the ground wheel structure revolves. A pair of cross bars l8 are mounted uponfltwo of the stay-bolts ltand in turn support "a" seat structure l9 upon which the op-- erator may: ride. 1 A back rest 20, preferably of E canvas'or other suitable material, isattached at 1933, Serial No. 687,405

its lower end to the seat structure l9 and at its: other end to one of the stay-bolts IS. A second piece of fabric 2! extends between a pair of. stay-. bolts l6 and serves as a head protection for the operator. A pair of foot rests Qliare secured to the rings l5 and provide aconvenient rest for the feet of the operator.

An annular ring 22 having notches 23 on the inner edge is fixedly mounted upon certain of the stay bolts I2 and thus rotates with the ground wheel structure. A pair of arcuate bars 24 are mounted upon two of the stay-bolts l6 and are spaced with relation to the annular ring 22, as best shown in Fig. 2. The said bars are positioned directly in front of the operator when seated upon the seat structure l9. Slidably mounted upon the bars 24 there is a propelling device 25 shown in more'detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The said device includes a central block 26 and a pair of side plates 21 between which there are mounted rollers 28 positioned to run upon the edges of the arcuate bars 24. The device is, therefore, freely movable upon said bars with a minimum of friction. Handles 29 are secured to the-plates 21 and extend outwardly therefrom. A latch stem 301s mounted for longitudinalrsliding movement in the block. 26 and carries a latch point 3i engageable with the notches 23 in the annular ring 22. The latch stem 30 is provided with a shoulder 32 against which abuts a compression spring 33 which abuts at its opposite end against aninternal shoulder 34 formed. within the block 26. The spring 33, therefore, yieldingly forces the latch point 3|: into-engagement with the notches 23. A pin 35 extends through the stem 30 and in the operating position. of the device rests in a slot 36 formed in the block 26. The inner end of the stem 3!! has mounted thereon a knob 31.

In the operation of the propelling mechanism the parts are placed in the position shownin Figs. 3 and 4 with the pin 35 within the slot 36; The operator then grasps the handles 29 and slides the'propelling device 25 upwardly upon the arcuate bars 24 to a convenient height. During. this movement the inclined surface 38 of the latch point 3| engages the upper edges of the notches 23 and the spring 33 is compressed to. permit the latch point to slide past the said notches. The operator then moves thedevice 25 downwardly along the bars 24 and in this movement the horizontal surface 39 of the latch point 3! engages the notches 23. Due to the inertia of the inner structure and the operator riding. therein, this engagement causes rotation of the outer wheel structure and causes the entire device to roll along the ground. By alternate upward and downward movements of the device 25, the entire apparatus may be moved along the ground at a rapid rate, the operator maintaining his upright position within the inner structure. When suiiicient speed has been reached and it is desired to coast, the operator grasps the knob 31, pulls it toward him and rotates it through a half revolution. This movement withdraws the pin 35 from the slot 36 and places the same horizontally across the surface of the block 26. In this position the latch point 3| is withdrawn from the notches 23. When it is desired again to apply a propulsion force, the knob 31 is returned to its original position and the pin 35 is permitted to slip into the slot 36.

A second pair of handles 40 is mounted upon the rings i5 at a convenient position to be grasped by the operator. Adjacent to each of the handles '59 there is a braking device 4H, shown in more detail in Fig. 5. The said device consists of a block 42 in which there is slidably mounted a stem 53 having at its outer end a brake shoe 44 positioned to engage the trackway M. The stem 43 is fitted at its inner end with a knob 45, and a compression spring 55 is inserted between the knob 45 and the block 42. The spring 46, therefore, tends to with- 5 draw the brake shoe M from engagement with the trackway Hi. In the operation of this portion of the device, when sufficient speed has been acquired for coasting and the propelling device 25 has been placed in the coasting position, the

operator grasps the handles Ml and presses upon the knobs 35 with his thumbs. The brake shoes 64 are thus clamped against the trackways I 4 causing the inner structure to revolve with the ground structure. The operator thus loops the loop within the wheel until he removes his thumbs from the knob 45, whereupon the inner structure resumes its upright position due to the low center of gravity thereof and the operator therein.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form which may be guided in its path along the ground. In this form, the outer wheels HE! are not connected by stay-bolts but are independently rotatable. The inner structure, consisting of rings I I5,

I stay-bolts I I6 and rollers H7, is substantially the same as in the previously described form. The outer wheels H are each equipped with flanges H3- at bothsides of their inner edge so that a trackwayi M is provided for the rollers I H which retains the same irrespective of the fact that the outer wheels are not connected. Each of the rings H is provided with a handle M0 and a braking device I substantially similar to those used in the previously described form. Each of these devices has a thumb button M5 by operation of which a brake shoe I 44 is applied to the trackway H4.

In the operation of this form of the invention, when the apparatus is travelling, a pressure on one of the buttons M5 causes retardation of the rotation of its corresponding outer wheel and thereby causes the entire apparatus to turn in the direction of this wheel. The device may, therefore, be guided by the occupant 1 in its travel over the ground. A simultaneous pressure on both of the buttons I45 causes the operator to loop-the-loop in the same manner as with the preceding form.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen thatthere is produced a device for the purpose intended having an extremely simple and rugged construction which can be economically manufactured and which can be operated with ease and safety. Modification of the exact structure illustrated, within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

The invention claimed is:

1. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel struc ture, an operators seat carried by said inner wheel structure, a toothed ring carried by said ground wheel structure, and a ratchet device carried by said inner wheel structure, engaging said ring and operable to cause relative movement of the two structures for propulsion of the device.

2. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, an operators seat carried by said inner wheel structure, a toothed ring carried by said ground wheel structure, and a ratchet device slidably carried by said inner wheel structure, engaging said ring, and operable to cause relative movement of the two structures for propulsion of the device.

3. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, an operators seat carried by said inner wheel structure, a toothed ring carried by said ground wheel structure, and a ratchet device carried by said inner wheel structure, engaging said ring and operable to cause relative movement of the two structures for propulsion of the device, said ratchet device being retractible to break said engagement for coasting.

4. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, a toothed ring carried by said ground wheel structure, an arcuate guideway carried by said inner Wheel structure in uniformly spaced relation to said ring,'and a ratchet device slidably mounted on said guideway, engaging said ring and movable along said guideway to cause relative movement of said structures for propulsion of the device.

5. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, an operators seat carried by said inner wheel structure, a toothed ring carried by said ground wheel structure, an arcuate guideway carried by said inner wheel structure in uniformly spaced relation to said ring, a ratchet device slidably mounted on said guideway and engaging said ring, and a handle on said ratchet device by means of which an operator may move the same along said guideway for propulsion of the device.

6. A device of the class described including a pair of ground wheels each having a flanged circular trackway formed on its inner circumference, lateral connecting members uniting said ground wheels in a rigid structure, a pair of inner rings, lateral connecting members uniting the same in a unitary structure, rollers carried by said last mentioned connecting members and running upon said trackways, an operators seat carried by said last mentioned structure, a toothed ring carried upon certain of said first mentioned connecting members, an arcuate guideway carried upon certain of said second mentioned connecting members, and a ratchet propulsion device slidable upon said guideway and engaging said toothed ring.

'7. A device of the class described including a pair of ground wheels each having a flanged trackwas formed on its inner circumference, an inner structure, rollers carried by said inner structure and travelling upon said trackways, a

pair of braking devices carried by said inner structure each having a brake shoe adapted to engage one of said trackways for retarding relative movement of said inner structure and ground wheels.

structure and each having a brake shoe adapted to engage one of said ground wheels for retarding the relative movement of said inner structure and said ground wheels.

9. A device of the class described including a pair of independently rotated ground wheels, an

inner structure rotatably mounted within said ground wheels, and a pair of braking devices carried by said inner structure and each having a brake shoe adapted to engage one of said ground wheels for retarding the relative movement of said inner structure and said ground wheels for guiding the entire device in its travel.

10. A device of the class described including a pair of independently rotated ground wheels, each having a flanged circular trackway formed on its inner circumference, an inner structure, rollers carried by said inner structure and travelling on said trackways, and a pair of braking devices carried by said inner structure, each having a brake shoe adapted to engage the trackway on one of said ground wheels for retarding the motion thereof to guide the entire device in its travel.

11. A device of the class described including a pair of independently rotatable ground wheels each having a flanged trackway formed on its inner circumference, a pair of inner rings, lateral connecting members uniting the same in a unitary structure, rollers carried by said structure and running upon said trackways, and a braking device carried by each of said inner rings, each of said devices having a brake shoe adapted to engage one of said ground wheels for retarding the rotation thereof to guide the entire: device.

12. A device of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel, structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, an operators seat carried by said inner wheel structure, a propelling device carried by said inner wheel structure and engaging a portion of said ground wheel structure to cause relative movement of the two structures for propulsion of the device, and means for moving said propelling device from the path of said portion of the ground wheel structure for coasting.

13. A device: of the class described including a ground wheel structure, an inner wheel structure rotatably mounted on said ground wheel structure, a propelling device carried by said inner wheel structure and engaging a portion of said ground wheel structure to cause relative movement of the two structures for propulsion of the device, means for moving said'propelling device from the path of said portion of the ground wheel structure for coasting, and abrake operable to prevent relative movement of said structures for the purpose described.

OTTO MARTEN. 

